There has been much anger in Ireland and elsewhere since the revelation that a pregnant woman died having been denied an abortion.

Savita Halappanavar reportedly asked ‘several times for her pregnancy to be terminated because she had severe back pain and was miscarrying. Her husband told the BBC it was refused because there was a foetal heartbeat’. After miscarrying, Ms Halappanavar died as a result of septicaemia.

The law in Ireland regarding abortion is unclear as a result of the ‘X Case’ twenty years ago. Abortion is illegal except in the case where a woman’s life is at risk. However, there are cases where it isn’t entirely clear and it looks like Savita’s situation was one of these. Successive governments have not legislated to clarify the law.

Ireland is currently promoting The Gathering 2013 when “Ireland will open its arms to hundreds of thousands of friends and family from all over the world, calling them home to gatherings in villages, towns and cities”. Postcards have been distributed countrywide to encourage Irish residents to invite our friends abroad to come join the festivities in 2013.